Railway apparatus



March 1927" c. s. sNAv'ELY ET AL RAILWAY APPARATUS Filed June 6, 1923 comprises a battery CLARENCE S. SNAVELX, OE PITTSBURGH, AND' ARTHUR I IBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR -S TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY,

NSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

stars or SWISSVALE, ran

RAILWAY, arrana'rns.

Application filed. June 6,

()ur invention relates to railway apparatus'. Apparatus is particularly wel nection with highway crossing signals which embodying our invention 1 adapted for use inconare governed "by train controlled 'trackcircuits, although it specific use. VVe'will is not limited to this describe one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof 1n claims.

The accompanying drawing. is a diagram form of apparatus designate the'track rails of a railway over which trafiic moves in both directions, and

which railway intertects a highway M-N at point The rails2 and 2'? are divided into two insulated track sections A-'B and B-C by means oi' insulated joints 1, the point sections crossing.

of division of these two being located adjacent the highway Each track section is provided with a source of track circuit energy which- G connected across the V relay R, R and B rails at an intermediate po nt in the-section. ,Interpose'd between the battery G and'one rail 2 of each section isaresistance 3 one 1 function 01'' which is to limitthe output ot the battery when its terminals are short-circuitcd by the wheels and axles of atrain occupying the associated section;

- Each section is track relays section; character V also provided with two one lolcat'ed at each end of'the and designated by the reference R with a distinguishing exponent Referring particularly to section B-C,

track relay R located at the left hand end of the section is pr cuit which passes from rail 2 ovided with a pickup cirthrough Wires 9 and 8, frontcontact 7 of 'a slow acting relay D wires 6 and 5,

and wire 4't0 rail only when relay D winding of relay R 2.- This circuit is closed 3 is energized. "Track relay R is also provided with a stick or holding circuit which p asses from rail 2 through wires 9 and 12,-front contact 11 of relay R relay R is already wircs 10 and 5', winding of relay R and wire- 4. to rail 2. This circuit is closed only when energized so that it serves as a holding circuit for maintaining relay R in its energized only when the re condition but is eflective lay has been previously be picked up again till relay D 1923. Serial No. 648,767.

is die-energized; The circuit passes from battery H throughwire 24, back contact 25 of track relay R wire '26, winding of relay G 1, and wires 27 and 28 'backto battery H A Slow actingrelay D of relay C wire 31, winding of relay D and wires 32, 33 and28 back to battery H This circuit is closed only when relay C is energized. It is thereforeclear that it re lay R is de-energized, relay C? is energized and. relay C in turn causes D- to become.

energized, thus completing the pickup circuit for relay R de-energization of relay R the relay can not front contact. I

The apparatus associated with, each track sociated with relay R An interlocking relay comprises two windings 35 and 36. This relaycontrols a'snit-able' warning signal such with one circuit which passes J, through wire 52, operating bell K, wire 51 back contact K is provided from a battery mechanism of= v5O operated by winding 36 of relay L; and

back to battery J. Another circuit is provided which passes from battery J, through wire 52, operating mechanism of hell K, wire 53, back contact 54 operated by winding 35 of relay L, and back' to battery J. The winding 36 of interlocking relay L is provided with a,circuit which passes from battery H through wire 13, track relay R, wire 15, back contact 16 of slow acting relay D,

18-of slow acting relay D wire 19, front.

contact 20 of track relay R wire 21, wind- L', and wires 22 and 23 backing 36 of relay to battery H.- It is clear that this circuit is closed only when relays R and R? areenergized and relays D and D are de-energized. Winding 35' of relay L is similarly is in turn controlled by relay C over a circuit which passes from battery'H through wires 24 and 29, front contact 30 It follows that after a 'is' the same as that as-- closes its L of any suitable form .is located -ad acent to point B- and Y as an electrically'operated bell K. The bellw i;

front contact 14 of j wire 17, back contact I thus breaking the circuit for Winding -36'o f' "interlocking relay L at their front contacts 14 and 20,"respectively. Back contact. 50

to ring. The de-energization relay causes the associated 0 controlled by relays R, R, D section A- -B. I

'As shown in the'drawing all the parts are and D in in the positions corresponding to an unoccupied condition ofthe portion of track shown in the drawing. Under these circumstances each track relay R is energized over its stlck circuit, and relays C and D are all de-energized. The pickup'circuit for each track re-' lay R is therefore open'at front contact 7 of the associated relay D. Both windings 36 and 350i interlocking relay L are energized thus completmg the. circuit for bell K which commences of each track slow acting relay The closing of the of relay L is therefore closed,

to become energized.

w front contact'of each relay 0 completes the ence of the train in the section.

. gized over their so constructed however tion of each track c1rcu'it for the associated slow acting relay D which thereupon becomes energized, The closing of, the front contact of each relay D closes the pickup circuit for the associated track relay R. The track relays R do not, howe'ver, become energized due -to the pres- As the train enters section AB, the apparatusassociated with this section. functions in precisely the same manner as just described in -connection with-the apparatus associated with section B-C, that contact 54 does not closeif winding becomes de-energized before winding 36 is re-energize'd, and so the bell will stop ringing as soon as the rear end of the train passes point B and winding 36 becomes energized.

As the rear of the train leaves section A B, track relays R and R become enerpickup circuits and'are subsequently maintained in their energized condition by their stick circuits. The energizarelay R opens the circuit for the associated slow acting relay C. Aftera'considerable interval of time these 7 relays G open their. frontcontacts and close f their back contacts,

time, re

thus opening the energlzing circuits for the associated slow actmg relays D. The closing of the back contact 30 of relay C completes a shunt around relay D comprising wires 32 and 34, back contact 30 of relay C and wire 31, which shunt further retards the action of slow act-,

ing relay D The action of relay D is similar] retarded. After an interval of aysD close their back contacts, thus completin the circuit for winding 36 of relay ,L w icli thereupon becomes energized.

cuits for relays D and D .and will be readily Relay L is"- bell K which stops ringing;

ts in opening the circuit for As the train moves out of section A-B,

th'e track relays R and R become energized,

thus causing reIays'C and C to become deenergized. .After a time interval the cirare interrupted and low resistance shunts connected across their terminals as described in connection with relay D. After a time interval relays D and D become de-energized thus closing the circuit for winding 35 of relay L. The energization of this winding picks up the contact 54 and e operation of theapparatus for traffic 'moving from left to right is the same as just described for traflic from right to left understood without fur-- ther explanation. I

The advantages of our invention are as follows:

-It has been observed that under certain conditions the shunting of track relays by a car or train is uncertain and subject to interruption; this condition; may arise, for examples, when a track section is .occupied by light rolling stock, or when the rails of the section arerusty. Under this condition the track relays may be alternately opened and closed, and when a highway crossing signal is controlled only by the track relays such alternate opening and closing will usually cause the slgnal to alternately operate and cease to operate.

Referring now to track section B-C in the accompanying drawing, we will assume that the section is occupied by a vehicle, that track relays R and R have been initially de-energized,thereby closing the associated relays C and D, and that the vehicle momentarily ceases to-shunt the track relays. The track relays R and R will immediately close and thereby close at contacts .20 and 14 the energizing circuit .for winding 36 for the interlocking relay L, but this circuit remains open at back contacts 18 and 16 of relays D and D until the two lastm'entioned relays become opened. Owing to the slow-releasing characteristics of relays C and D, contacts 18 and 16 will not close until the expiration of val of time aft-er the closing of relays R and R, than the time interval during which the shuntin action of the vehicle is ineffective, the circuit for winding 36 will remain open and the operation of the crossing 'signa I\ will not be interrupted. If the time interval created by the two slow acting relays Q and D is not sufficient to bridge the maxirestores the apparatus to ts normal condltlon.

a considerable int-erand if this time interval is greater highway intersects the railway. Such momum period during which the'shunting action of a vehicle 1s ineffective, additional slow acting relays may be used for each track relay, the additional slow-acting relays being controlled in cascade inthe same way that each relay D is controlled by the associated relay C in the drawing.

Assuming now that a train or vehicle movin toward the left occupies section 'A-B, it wil be remembered that contact 54 of the interlocking relay L is open because winding 35 became de-ener ized before winding 36 became re-energize If Winding 35 should now become momentarily energized and subsequently de-energized, contact 5& would 7 close, thereby causing operation of the crossing bell K even though the-train or vehicle is moving away from the int B where the mental-y energization of winding 35 is prevented, however, because even' though the shunting action-of the train or vehicle may fail momentarily, the circuit for this winding will remain open at the back-contacts of relays D and D and it is assumed that these contacts will not close during the interval in which the track relays R and R are closed.

Although we have herein shown and de-:..

each direction from the highway, a relay for each section provided with a holding circuit, means responsive to a train in each section for opening the holding circuit for the associated relay. a slow acting relay for each section controlled by the associated relay, a second slow acting relay for each section controlled by acting relay, a' pickup circuit for each of said first relays controlledv by the associated second slow acting relay, an interlocking relay having two magnets one for each' section, means for controlling each magnet by the first relay and the second slow acting relay of theassociated section, and a highway crossing signal controlled by saidintel-locking relay.'

2. In combination, a highway, a railwaytrack intersecting said highway and provided with two tracksections extending in each direction from the -highway ,'a relay for each section provided with a holding circuit, means responsive to a train in each section for opening the holding circuit for the associated first slow,.

the associated relay, a slow acting relay for each section, a pick-up circuit for each first relay controlled by the associated slow acta ing relay, means operating to energize each slow acting relay when the associated first relay is open, an'interlocking relay having; two magnets one for each. section, means for controlling each magnet by the two relays for the associated section, and a highway crossing signal controlled by said interlockmg relay. I

3. In combination, an insulatedsection' ofrailway track, a track relay and a first and a second slow acting relaylocated at each end of said section, a source of energy cons so nected across the rails of the section, a circuit for each track relay including the rails of the section and a front contact of said;

track relay, a second circuit foreachtrack relay including the rails of the section and $5 a front contact on the associated second slow acting relay, a circuit for each said first slow acting relay: including a. source of energy and a back contact'on the associated track relay, a circuit for each said second slow acting relay including a source of energy and a front contact on the associated 1 first slow acting relay, an electro responsive N device; and a circuit for said device including a source of energy, a front contact on each of said track relays, and aback contact. on .each said second slow acting relay.

4. In coinbination, a section ofrailway track, a source of energy connected across the-rails of said section, a track relay con nected with the rails of said section, a slow acting relay controlled by said track relay and arranged to be energized when said track relay is de-energized, a. pick-up circuit for said track relay including a front contact on said slow acting relay,'and a retain- .ing circuit for said track relay including its own front contact.---

5. In combination, a section of railway track, a source of energy connected across the rails of said section, a track relay connected with the rails of said section, a slow acting relay controlled by saidtrack relay and arrangedto be energized when said'track relay is de-energized, a pick-up circuit for said track relay including a front contact on said slow acting relay, a retaining circuit .for said;

track relay including its ownt'ront contact,

and an 'electro-responsive device controlled by said relay. 4 a

.6. In combination, a section ofrailw'a y track, a source of energy connected across the rails of said section, a track relay connected with the rails of said section, a slow 1 acting relay controlled by said'track' relay and arranged-to be energized only when,sa1d track relay is de-energized, and an electroresponsive device controlled by said track relay and said slow acting relay.

track relay andsa-id slo-wv actin'g 7. In combination, an insulated section of railway track, a track relay and a first and a' second slow acting relay located at each end of said section, a source of energy connected across the rails of the section, a circuit-for each track relay including the rails of the section and a front contact of said track relay, a se'cond'circuit for each track relay including the'rails of the section and a front contact on the associated second slow acting relay, a circuit for. each first 1 trolled by said slow acting reiay,'an'd anv electro-responsi-ve device first slow acting relay,- and an electro-re-- sponsive device controlled by said track relay and said second slow, acting relay.

8. In combination, a section of railway track, a relay provided with a holding circuit, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section for opening said holding circuit, a pickup circuit for said relay including a front contact of a slow acting,

relay, means operating to energize said slow acting relay when said first relay is deenergized, and an electro-responsive device controlled by said slow acting relay.

9. In combination, a section of. railway track, a relayprovided with a holding circuit, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section-for opening said holding circuit, a. ickup circuit for said relay including 'a F acting relay, means operating to energize said slow acting relay when said first relay is de-energ'ized, an interlockin relay concontrolled by said interlocking relay. I

10. In combination, a section of railway track, a relay provided with a holding circuit, means responsive to 'the presence of a train in said section {or opening said holdin circuit, a pickup circuit for said relay inc uding a front contact of a slow acting relay, means operatingto energize said slow acting relay when said first relay is de-energized, and an electro-responsive device controlled by said slow acting relay and by said first relay.

11-. In combination, a section of railway' track, a relay provided with a holding cirqcuit, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section for opening said holdng circuit, a pick-up circuit for said relay "including a -front contact of a slow acting relay, means operating to energize said slow acting relay when said first relay is de-energized, an nterlock ng relay controlled by ront contact of a slow said slow acting relay, and a signal con trolled by said Interlocking relay.

12. In combination, a section of railway track, a relay provided with a holding ci.r-"

cuit, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section for opening said holding circuit,. aslow acting relay controlled by said first relay, a second slow acting relay controlled by said first slow acting relay, a pickup circuit for said first relay including a contact of said second slow acting relay, and a highway crossing signal controlled by said second slow acting relay.

13. In combination, a section of railway the rails of said section, a track relay con- 1 nected across the rails of said'section with a front contact of the relay interposed in the connection between the relay and one rail, a shunt around said front contact iiicluding a front contact of a slowactingrclay, means operating to energize said slow acting relay when said track relay is deenergized, and an electro-responsive dev-ice controlled by said slow acting relay.

15. In combination, a section of railway track, a source of current connected across the rails of said section, a track relay connected across the rails of said section with a front contact of the relay interposed in the connection between the relay and one rail, :1 slow acting'relay controlled by said track relay, a shunt around said front contact controlled by said slo-w acting relay, and a highway crossing signal controlled by saidslow acting relay;

16.,In combination, a highway, a railway track intersecting said highway and in opposite directions 'from the highway, at source, of track circu t current for each section, a trackrelay for each section, a slow acting relayfor each section controlledby a back contact of the associated track relay,

an interlocking relay having two windings one for each track section, a circuit for each winding contr died by a front contact of the track relay and a baclr'contact of the slow acting relay for the corresponding sect-ion, and'a highway crossing signal controlled by said interlocking relay.

17. In combination, a highway, a railway track intersecting said highway and provided with two track sections extending in opposite directions from the highway, a

lll)

provided with two track sections extending I V t track circuit tor each source 'of current adjacent the middle of the section and a track relay adjacent each end 7 tree section,

of the section,

section including a a slow acting relay for each track relay and controlled by a back contact of theassociated track rela relay, an interlocking having two windings one for each a circuit foreach winding controlled by a front contact 03E each track relay for the associated section and also by aback contact of eacheslow assoclated sectlon, and

acting relay -for the a highway crossingsignal controlled by said interlocking relay,- 18. In combination, a track circuit including a track relay connectedwiththe rails 1 through a front contact thereof, a branch around saidiary front, contact including a nor- -mally openv contact of an auxiliary relay,

Y-means for causing operation of said auxil'- relay to close said normally open contact when the track relay opens and toopen said normally open contact when the the operation of said auxiliary relay closes,-

track relay to open said normally open contact requiring a considerableinterval of time, and signaling apparatuscontrolled by said auxiliary relay.

19. In combination, a track circuit includ j track relay connected with the rails ing a through a front contact thereof. 'afbranch' arou'nd'saidfront contact includinga normally open contact of a slow acting relay,

means for causing operation of-said slew acting relay to close said normally open csntact when the track relay opens and to open" said normally open contact when the track relay closes, and signaling apparatus controlled by said slow acting relay.

20. In combination,

a track circuit includ ing a trackrelay connected'with the rails through .a front contact thereof, a branch around said front contact' ineluding afront contact of a normally de.-energized slow actcircuit including a means responsive to the means responsive toing relay,

lay cont-rolled by a back contact of a circuit for said slow acting re-.

said track relay, and signaling apparatus controlled 'by i said slow acting relay. 21. In combination,"

a. section of railway track, a first relay provided with a holding circuit'mcluding a front contacfltl ereof,*

in said section for the presence ofQa train de-energizing said first relay, a. pick-up circuit for, said first relax? including a normally open contact of'a slow acting relay, meansfor ing' relay into paratus controlled by s 22. In combination,

setting said slow -act-.

operation when said re- 7 lay becomes de-energized, and signaling apaid slow acting relay. a section of'rail'way track, a'first relay providedwith a holding front contact there presence of a tram in said sectionfor de-energizing said first relay, apick-up circuit for said first-relay;

first relay closes, 'iliary relay to open said to open said normally includin a .front contact of a normally deenergize slow acting relay, and a circuit for said slow actingrelay controlled by aback contact of said first relay, and signaling apparatus controlled by 23. .Incombination, a section of railway track, a first relay provided with a holding circuit including a Iront contact thereof, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section for de-energizing said first relay, a pick-up circuit for said first relay including a normally open contact of an aux iliary relay, means for causing voperation of said" auxiliary relay to close said normally open contact when to open said normally open contact when the the operation of said auxtact requiring a' considerable interval of time, "and signaling apparatus controlled by said 1 auxiliary relay.

24. In combination, a section of railway said slow acting relay. v I

the first'relay opens and v normally open con-,

track, a first relay provided with a holding circuit including a front contact thereof, means responsive to the presence of a train in said section for de-energizing said first relay, a pick-up circuit for said first relay including a normally open contact of a slow acting relay,

means for causing operation of saidslowiacting relay toclose said normally" I open contact when said first relay opens and said; first relay closes and signaling apparatus controlled by said slow acting relay.

25fIn combination, a trackcircuit including atrack relay connected with the rails through a front. contactthereof, a branch open contact when around said front contact including a normally open contact of a slow acting relay, means for causing operatiqn'of said-slow acting relay to close said normally open con; tact when the track relay opens'and to opensaid normally open contact when the track its relayfcloses, and signaling; apparatus con- 5 normally open Signaling afix ourfsignaby'said track'relay and said slowacting relay.

a firstrelay provided-with a holding thereof;

for said-first.relay contact oi a slow (120 osen'contactwhen n if n by re y 

